Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has historically been the highest-yielding, highest-quality forage legume grown in Kentucky. It is an important part of Kentucky's cash hay enterprise and is an important component in dairy, horse, beef, and sheep diets. Choosing a good variety is a key step in establishing a stand of alfalfa. The choice of variety can impact yield, thickness of stand, and persistence.
This report provides yield data on alfalfa varieties included in current yield trials in Kentucky as well as guidelines for selecting alfalfa varieties. Tables 13 and 14 (Roundup Ready varieties) show a summary of all alfalfa varieties tested in Kentucky during the past 18 years. The UK Forage Extension website (https://forages.ca.uky.edu) contains electronic versions of all forage variety testing reports from Kentucky and surrounding states as well as a large number of other forage publications.